


I Find the Silence Bearable With You

by spikewriter



Series: Adventures of the Odinsons [3]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Canon Divergence - post-Avengers: Age of Ultron, Completely ignoring anything I've heard about Captain America: Civil War, F/M, friendship to romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-28
Updated: 2015-06-28
Packaged: 2018-04-06 13:19:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4223220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spikewriter/pseuds/spikewriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy really hadn't counted on Thor coming home with Loki in tow six months ago following what sounded like a major upheaval on Asgard. Injured, broken, magic bound, banished, escaping execution solely because Thor had bodily removed him before Odin could get his hands on the brat, he now occupied a bedroom in the Hudson Valley home that was the base of “Making SCIENCE!!!, LLC.” And made no secret he hated every minute of it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Find the Silence Bearable With You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mischiefgoddesscomplex](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mischiefgoddesscomplex/gifts).



> This was inspired by the quote "I Find the Silence Bearable With You" that MischiefGoddessComplex posted on her tumblr with the note that she could see Loki saying it to Darcy, I cranked out the first draft of this piece in less than 36 hours. Considering I'd been blocked for about _six months_ (that includes the original fiction I've been spending most of my writing time on), I counted that as a definite victory, and was even happier when the story submitted to revision quite easily. So, this one is for MischiefGoddessComplex. Thank you for helping to break the block.
> 
> This tale is post _Avengers: Age of Ultron_ and post my mental version of _Thor: Ragnarok_ , while ignoring anything I've heard about _Captain America: Civil War_. Thor still does Avengering, and he and Jane share a nice little spread in the Hudson Valley. (Amazing how far a small amount of Asgardian gold can go in today's real estate market.) Darcy's still with them as well, keeping schedules and being, well, Darcy.

Life was weird.

The phrase had become a mantra for Darcy Lewis, uttered more times a day than she cared to think. She really needed it needlepointed on a cushion for the home she currently shared with Jane Foster — and Jane’s space-viking-Disney-prince-boyfriend. And said boyfriend’s sometimes villainous, always annoying little brother, who had a bad habit of either playing dead or impersonating their dad.

Life was definitely weird.

Darcy didn’t pretend to understand most of what went on. But she also still didn’t quite understand how she’d gone from what she’d assumed would be an easy six credits and a semester escaping her family to rattling around the planet as best friend/general wrangler of a brilliant astrophysicist who'd likely win a Nobel Prize before she hit forty — all while avoiding certain death on a regular basis

She really hadn't counted on Thor coming home with Loki in tow six months ago following what sounded like a major upheaval on Asgard. Injured, broken, magic bound, banished, escaping execution solely because Thor had bodily removed him before Odin could get his hands on the brat, he now occupied a bedroom in the Hudson Valley home that was the base of “Making SCIENCE!!!, LLC.” And made no secret he hated every minute of it.

Jane didn’t want him here, but she got this was part of the package with Thor, that he was going to try to redeem his little brother, who’d apparently hadn’t done a bad job ruling Asgard, much to everyone’s surprise when his trickery was revealed. And he’d saved Jane from Dark Elves that one time. And had worked to save Asgard — and the universe — from Ragnarok apparently, even knowing it would expose he was pretending to be Odin while Papa Dearest was in a coma or something. 

Besides, Jane had admitted over one too many margaritas during a night out with Darcy, if she had to choose between Odin and Loki, she’d pick Loki, even with the attempted world-conquering and what he’d done to Erik. So Loki stayed and Erik always arranged to meet Jane and Darcy away from the house.

Thor swore he wanted to redeem his brother, but Darcy suspected he was the instigator in at least half the arguments the two had on a regular basis. Which stressed Jane out. Which stressed Darcy out. So when the first rumble of thunder interrupted an otherwise clear and quiet afternoon, Darcy looked up from the travel plans for a particularly convoluted lecture tour with a groan. “Jane, the boys are fighting again.”

“Tell them to stop, will you?” Jane said, not really looking up from the piece of equipment she was working on at what Darcy had dubbed "the crafting table." It wasn’t that Jane didn’t care, but fights had become such a regular occurrence that neither she nor Darcy rushed to mediate unless things progressed to actual hitting.

“He’s your boyfriend.”

“Loki’s not – and I’m willing to bet he’s punching all of Thor’s buttons.” Jane wrinkled her nose in annoyance and reached for another screwdriver. “He’ll get Thor mad, then sulk off to his room, feeling righteously indignant.”

It was an accurate description, but not necessarily the most helpful one. “If Thor gets pissed off enough that it rains, everything’s going to be soaked tomorrow. Do you really want to be doing all your sciencey stuff with the kids on muddy ground?”

The dirty looked was expected, but, hey, reminding Jane of all the things she didn’t want to be reminded of was part of the job. Besides, Darcy was looking forward to watching Jane introduce a bunch of fifth-graders to the STEM Fields because Jane would get just as excited as her audience and Jane doing Science was always entertaining. If the Prince of Pout managed to put a damper on things (or caused his brother to do so – literally), Darcy would give him plenty to sulk about.

Reluctantly, Jane pulled herself up from the desk. “Okay, where are they?”

No disturbance reached her ears, so Darcy figured the boys must be outside. Thor might be anywhere on the seven and a half acres on which the house sat, but Loki never seemed to roam particularly far. If he did, the Stark-designed ankle bracelet that was part of the deal Thor had brokered to let Loki stay on Earth would send out a signal.

She was about bring the tracker program up on her screen when a movement outside the window caught her eye. No need for the tracker; Thor and Loki weren’t that far from the house, standing almost nose to nose. Then the shouting began — and it wasn’t Thor who was losing his cool. “Jane…”

Jane looked over, her eyes going wide as Loki reached out to shove Thor. Hard, given how Thor stepped back. More shouting, the words distorted by the window glass but the tone most definitely recognizable.

When Loki lunged, fist upraised, both Darcy and Jane raced for the stairs down to the kitchen on the lower level and the back door.

In just the brief time it took them to exit the house, the tide of the fight had turned, the front of Loki’s simple green tunic twisted in Thor’s left hand, his right drawn back to deliver a blow. Jane grabbed at Thor's arm, shouting for him to stop, while Darcy pushed her way between the two men as best she could. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

The words "He started it" were writ plainly on Thor's face, but after a moment, he stepped back, lowering his arm. "Do not keep tempting me, Loki. One day I will not be able to stop myself."

His voice was tight, anger simmering in every syllable. Jane tugged at his arm. "Come back inside," she said. "You need to give each other some space, calm down."

Reluctantly, eyes still fixed on Loki, he allowed Jane to draw him away. Darcy let go of the the breath she was holding, certain they'd dodged another bullet. —

"Maybe that's what you need to do," Loki called after Thor. "Rid Odin of his 'little problem' and he'll finally smile on your union with Jane."

_Damn it_. The words flashed through Darcy's mind even as she saw Thor's shoulders tense. She knew what was coming and she didn't know how to stop it. When Thor moved against an opponent, it was like watching a freight train and the only safe place was out of his way. She knew it, and yet she couldn't move, throwing her arms wide as if they might somehow prove a barrier to keep Thor from barreling down on both her and Loki. "Don'thithimdon'thithimdon'thithim!"

Jane shouted the same thing at a slightly lower, less panicked pitch, holding on to Thor’s muscled arm for all she was worth and being dragged along as he moved. Darcy tensed, know that if Loki cut and ran, neither of them would be able to stop Thor from pursuing.

Thor shoved Darcy aside, the action finally shaking off Jane. He slammed into Loki with a force that would have severely injured a human and the two of them hit the ground, rolling as the fighting began in earnest.

She was going to be bruised tomorrow, Darcy knew, but even with the throbbing ache in her hip, she scrambled back to her feet, Jane catching her hand to help her up. Then the two of them reached for Thor, trying to pull him off Loki, who didn't seem to be fighting his brother off as hard as he could.

It wasn’t so much that they were able to pull him off as their efforts made him realize what he was doing and Thor retreated. “Why do you do this?” he demanded, anger and upset coloring his tone. “Always you push away those who want to help you, who care about you.”

“Like Odin cared?” Loki shot back, blood dripping from his nose and an angry bruise blooming on one cheek. “Cared enough to lie to me all my life, to never say a word to stop the stories that taught me who and what I am is a monster who should be exterminated?”

Slowly, he crawled to his feet, movements slow and painful. “Even my talents weren’t good enough because magic is a woman’s art and Norns forfend Odin AllFather have a son who wasn’t putting all his efforts into bashing away at whatever came into his path. You know what they said about me.”

“Your friends did not speak so,” Thor countered, though the argument sounded painful and a bit weak.

“Not my friends. _Your_ friends. I was tolerated because I was your brother, that was all. Now they know I am not even that.”

Gone was the sharp, biting tone that aimed whatever weakness existed in his target. In its place was bitterness, weariness and...defeat? Loki dragged a sleeve across his nose, looked down at the blood and gave a short, barking laugh. “My apologies for interrupting your work, Jane. I’ll trouble you all no more today, nor force my company on those who do not desire it. It’s a lesson I should have learned some time ago.”

With that, he turned and walked away, heading down toward the pond. Thor took a step after him, but Jane caught his arm. “I think we need to go into town for supplies.”

For a moment, Thor looked as if he might follow Loki anyway, but then he nodded and let Jane lead him away. Darcy turned back toward the house, a list of possible things she’d like to do to Prince Pain-in-My-Ass running through her head. She settled for the first aid kit they kept in the kitchen and headed out down to the pond.

He was standing at the edge, staring out across the water. “Go away,” he growled as she approached.

“Yeah, not going to happen. Someone needs to take a look at that nose.”

The anticipated response was, “It is nothing” or “It does not concern you, mortal.” What she got was, “I did not know healer was among your many talents.”

"Took an EMT course when we first here. So did Jane. Natasha suggested that it might be a good idea given Thor and everything we keep getting into."

She set the kit down on the low table between two Adirondack chairs under one the trees. "Suppose the idea seems silly to you."

"In truth, it seems eminently practical." Loki turned away from the pond and joined her. "Growing up, we were all trained with some basic knowledge of healing, just in case."

Carefully, he settled into one of the chairs, wincing slightly as he sat. "So, any particular reason you decided to push Thor into making you his punching bag today?" she asked.

"There's been many times he didn't need much pushing."

Darcy touched the cloth she'd moistened with hydrogen peroxide to one of the cuts on his face. Loki hissed slightly, but didn't flinch. "I get that," she said, "but you're avoiding the question."

He didn't say anything in response, and Darcy opted not to push as she methodically cleaned the blood from his face. If she pushed, he’d bite back with his trademark snark and she just wasn’t in the mood for it at the moment. He wanted to sulk quietly, fine.

She was almost done cleaning his face when he said, “I get tired of him hovering. It’s…exhausting. So often he seems to be waiting for me to go back to being who he thinks I was.”

“He knows you’re not that person,” she said, reaching for the arnica cream. Sure, the bruises would probably be mostly healed up by morning, but no harm in helping things along. “He’s talked about how much you’ve changed.”

“Oh yes.” His voice suddenly dropped into an imitation of Thor’s. “I did so with a glimmer of hope my brother was still in there. That hope no longer exists to protect you.”

A sigh. “My brother knows here,” he carefully lifted a bruised and bloodied hand to touch his head, “that the world is different and we cannot go back to what we once were. He does not, however, know it _here_.”

He touched his hand to his chest as he said the words. “And Thor has ever been ruled by his heart.”

“While you go for the clever and smartass so folks will go away and leave you alone.”

Her reward was a dry chuckle. “In our short acquaintance, I think you have seen my character more clearly than my brother ever will.”

“No, I’ve seen how you put up walls so people won’t know what you’re really thinking or feeling. I do know constantly pushing at them just means you get more stubborn.”

A slight wince as her fingers first touched the cream to his cheekbone. “And what makes you certain of that?”

“It’s what I do,” she said with a shrug.

He turned his head to look up at her, green eyes considering. Having his full attention wasn’t necessarily the most comfortable thing in the world, but Darcy wasn’t going to show weakness by looking away. “I’ve got a reputation for making jokes and comments,’ she said, feeling some justification of her statement was in order. “Things get uncomfortable, I make a smart remark. It’s a way of keeping people at a distance when I don’t want them getting too close.”

“Is that why you insist on trading barbs with me?” he asked quietly.

“Kinda — I mean, you are the guy who tried to take over New York and there’s what you did to poor Erik. Oh, and you owe me for that one. I saw Erik without his pants, multiple times. Do you have any idea how traumatizing that is?”

 “You’re deflecting.” There was a hint of humor in his voice, the trace of a smile about the corner of his lips.

“See? Takes one to know one. Anyway, yeah, I’m keeping you at a bit of a distance, but, also, you are a master of snark and I’m gonna pick up whatever pointers I can. Wish I could use the whole ‘mortals’ insult you do, ‘cause you say it with the greatest sneer. But doesn’t really work for me since I am one. Come on, let me finish this. I still have to do your hands.”

Obediently, he turned his head again and let her finish with the cream. “Why do you feel the need to keep people at a distance?” he asked. “Surely there could not be so great a trauma in your young life that you would wish to keep apart from your fellows.”

He was deflecting as well, shifting the spotlight from himself to her. Okay, she could play that game, see if she could shift it back. “It’s great if there’s someone you don’t want to deal with, like the guy who doesn’t get the hint that ‘just friends’ means you’re not interested in him and are never going to be. Most guys find sarcasm a turn-off. But it’s also a way of dealing with my folks. They don't think I'm doing anything useful with my life.”

“You are employed with a world-renowned scientist, have the friendship of many of the Avengers, and, from what Thor has told me, were instrumental in helping to save Midgard during the Convergence. What dishonor is there in any of this?”

“Because Mom and Dad wouldn’t believe an Einstein-Rosen Bridge is useful unless they were able to see it or use it themselves, they’d be more impressed if I was working for the Avengers as their spin doctor rather than having them over for Taco Tuesday, and I have not told them about Greenwich because they wouldn’t believe it or totally freak out.”

Loki considered this. “I think I see your point.”

“Figured you would. See, it was Mom and Dad who wanted me to go into political science for a degree. They both work within the Beltway, so they have lots of connections that could get me started. That’s what they did for Charlotte and Bingley.”

She was about to add those were her siblings, but his brows drew together momentarily, then he nodded slightly as if he made the connection. So, he'd actually been listening the previous times she'd mentioned them. Interesting.

Darcy picked up one of his hands and began to wipe it clean. “Since I didn’t know what I wanted, but I knew I didn’t want to go into a think tank or something like that, they’re unhappy. They were really unhappy when I gave up an internship with a big lobbying firm to go to New Mexico and do the whole thing with crazy science-lady Jane.”

“And they are still unhappy.”

“Yup.” She popped the “p” for emphasis. “Same story for you?”

He shrugged. “Somewhat. I was never as big or as brawny as Thor, not as accomplished on the field of battle. He simply hits things, while I prefer the use of strategy and…’tricks’ as Fandral likes to call it.”

“So they made you feel like nothing you did was ever good enough.”

"My mother, no. She is the one who taught me magic, never denigrated my talents. But Odin,” he took a deep breath and held it for a moment before releasing it, “no, no matter what I accomplished, it never seemed to satisfy him. Then, there was his lie about my true parentage.”

His voice trailed off on the last words and Darcy knew he’d gone as far as he was willing to go. But she understood a bit more now, and maybe she could help Thor realize the best way to get Loki to let him in was to not keep hammering at the door.

They were silent again, but this wasn’t a good silence. She could practically see Loki closing in on himself. “So, what Jane says is true: your dad’s a dick.”

The way he started slightly showed that this was not how Loki was used to hearing the ruler of Asgard described. Then, a grin spread across his face and he started to laugh, a soft _eheheh_ at first, followed by a richer fuller sound. The expression in his eyes was full of gleeful mischief, open and welcoming her as a co-conspirator. This was the Loki Thor kept looking for, she realized, the little brother he remembered. Maybe they couldn't go back, but it'd be better for both of them if they could find some of that common ground again. 

Her mind was already turning to ways to help with that when Loki said, "It has been some time since I have met a mortal with such quick wit and nimble tongue. If I am to do penance here on this world, I am glad that it is with you."

They were the kindest words she'd heard him speak since his arrival, and she knew she'd just been shown a door in the walls he built around himself. She also knew it was a privilege afforded a rare few. "Don't think it's going to save you if you eat my Caramel Ripple Fudge again." 

He proffered an evil little smirk and she knew he'd test her on that just for the fun of it. Maybe it was his equivalent of pulling her pigtails. Whatever, this time her reaction wouldn't be just to yell and call him a jerkwad; she'd have to come up with some appropriate vengeance, something he'd appreciate.

She finished cleaning his hands, and he helped her pack up the first aid kit before they headed back to the house. Halfway there, her phone buzzed with a text: _Can we come back or should Thor give him more time?_

"Jane wants to know if it's okay for her and Thor to come back," she said.

In an instant, he tensed. "It is her house and I am only a guest. It would be rude to keep her from it."

He was retreating again and Darcy rolled her eyes. "Not what I asked, doofus. Do you want more time where Thor's not bugging you? 'Cause he's gonna when he comes back, you know. He'll want to talk it all out, try to make you understand his feelings. You'll get annoyed and poke at him, he'll poke back, and next thing you know, Jane and I will be breaking the two of you up again. Already going to have a bruise, so don't need another."

"Or I could simply go to my room and close the door where my presence will bother no one."

"Do you know what he does when you hide? He hangs around outside your room like a kicked puppy. That makes Jane unhappy and prevents her from doing Science. A non-Science-doing Jane is a cranky Jane and that makes me cranky. So, want me to tell Jane to keep him away for a while and suggest he give you space when he comes back? Because I will."

"You would do that for me?"

The implication that Loki was not used to the idea someone would favor his needs over Thor's desires made her sad — and a bit angry. Thor was so caught up in the dynamic he didn't realize he was doing it, no matter that he'd gone to some personal risk to spring Loki from Asgard. The boys had learned it from somewhere and at this moment, Darcy was going to lay things squarely at Odin's feet. AllFather? More like AllDick.

"Of course I would," she said. "That's what friends are for."

A blink and then his face lit up as if he'd been given a gift. Finding her face growing a bit warm at the way he was looking at her, she turned her attention back to her phone. _Take Thunder Boy to dinner. Maybe a movie. And suggest that he not keep asking Loki how he's doing. That might help._

"Okay, we've got the place to ourselves for a few more hours," she told him when Jane's response came back. “I'm going to order a pizza and throw in a movie or something. If you want to join me, you can. If you just want to hang out in your room and read, that's cool, too."

“You’re not going to order pineapple on the pizza, are you?” he asked suspiciously.

“That’s Thor’s thing. Pepperoni, sausage, shrimp and Gouda cheese. Hey, don’t judge until you try it,” she said when he wrinkled his nose at her. “Were you this much of a foodie on Asgard?”

“I was a prince and the kitchen was more than happy to cater those whims. Besides, it didn’t hurt there was one cook who felt I needed to be fattened up a bit and would make me extra treats in hopes of accomplishing her goal. I took shameless advantage of it.”

It was clearly a good memory, the first one she'd heard him. “Then maybe we need to be a little more adventurous. I mean, cooking can be fun, but when Jane’s sciencing, she doesn’t really pay attention to what she’s eating and Thor’s a meat and potato guy – simple and hearty.”

“Much like himself.”

The words were muttered under Loki’s breath without too much malice. More loudly, he said, “If you are willing to play guide, I would not mind some experimentation.”

“Let’s start with the pizza and go from there.”

Pizza was duly ordered as Loki disappeared to his room. After a bit, Darcy wondered if he’d decided to bail anyway. She wasn’t going to look for him; if he wanted his own space, she needed to respect that right now. He reappeared just before the food arrived, though, having changed his shirt and a book in hand. He offered no explanation and Darcy didn’t ask.

She was putting slices on plates and reaching for a breadstick when she hissed slightly at the dull ache on her hip. “Crap. I’d better go put some arnica on that before it gets worse.”

“Thor doesn't know his own strength. Come here,” Loki said. When she hesitated, he repeated, “Come here.”

Cautiously, she approached him, a bit surprised when he knelt at her side. “Healing is not one of my natural talents, but Mother saw I was taught a few things. Most of my magic is bound, but I should be able to…”

He frowned, brow furrowed as he concentrated, hands moving lightly over the surface of her hip. She was about to point out she hadn’t actually given him permission to touch her when she felt a warm tingling under the surface of her leggings. The warmth spread, then faded — and while the ache was not gone, it was diminished. “Okay. Cool?”

“You likely still need to put the cream on it, but that hopefully alleviated the worst of the bruising and discomfort.” He lifted his wrist, which bore a bracelet inscribed with runes. “I would do more, but I fear this limits my abilities. Still, as you said, it should be taken care of.”

“Yeah…” Darcy wasn’t quite certain how to react, but she suspected Loki meant it as a kindness to mirror her own actions — even if he wasn’t quite clear on the concept of asking permission first. The slight sheen of sweat on his forehead showed the gesture had cost energy and effort, though, and she wasn't going to throw it back in his face at this point. “Let me go do that and I’ll be right back.”

Up in her room, she found the area where she landed still showed signs of a bruise coming up. Not as badly as she'd feared, though, and there were a few spots mottled green and yellow, as if they were already healing. Cream applied, she returned downstairs and to discover Loki had carried the plates, pizza box, breadsticks and drinks to the coffee table in front of the couch and settled in at one end with his book. Darcy settled at the other, turned on the television and took her first bite while Netflix booted up.

It felt a little weird at first watching a movie with just Loki there, but he simply read and ate and after twenty minutes, Darcy relaxed, the only constant noise the film soundtrack. Halfway through, she grabbed her own book and joined him in reading, the only conversation exchanged being when Loki asked if she wanted the last piece of pizza. He scarfed it fairly speedily once she declined.

By the time Thor and Jane returned home, the television was off and Loki and Darcy were happily each absorbed in their books. “Okay,” Jane said, sounding more than a little unsure. “They haven’t killed one another.”

“That is probably a good thing,” Thor said.

“We ordered pizza,” Darcy said.

“Definitely a good thing.”

“Yeah, someone learned not to mock the shrimp and Gouda.”

At his end of the couch, Loki smiled slightly but didn’t look up from his book. “We did dinner,” Jane said. “Saw a movie. Don’t bother with _Expendables 4_ until it hits Netflix. Not worth it.”

“The explosions were amusing,” Thor said. “But they did not make up for the severe lack of plot and poor writing. Jane explained ‘phoning it in.’”

He took a step toward the couch. “Loki…”

Loki tensed, slowly looking up from his book. Darcy tensed herself, waiting for the inevitable. Thor did not continue immediately, though, but seemed to be struggling. At last, he said, “Goodnight, brother. Sleep well.”

Loki considered him, then nodded. “You as well, brother.”

A touch to Loki’s shoulder and Thor was moving toward the stairs. “Coming, Jane?”

“See you in the morning,” Jane told Darcy.

“Don’t forget – you’re doing Science with the kids. I’ll set the coffee pot so it’s brewing when you get up.”

With Thor and Jane gone, quiet descended on the room once more. Darcy read for a while longer, then reluctantly put the book aside. “Better clean this all up. One thing I learned early on — avoid leaving the pizza boxes out overnight.”

She didn’t expect him to offer to help and wasn’t surprised when he didn’t. Not that there was much to do; she moved the boxes into the trash, the plates into the dishwasher to be done with the next load and set up the coffee maker as promised. A check of the doors to make certain they were locked and the alarms set, then she turned out most of the lights before heading back to the couch. “I’m going up myself. See you in the morning.”

Loki nodded offhandedly and Darcy turned toward the stairs. She’d gone only a few steps when he called her name. Turning back, she found him sitting up, a finger marking his place in his book. “Thank you for this evening.”

She shrugged. “No biggie. We just sat and read. Kinda quiet.”

“There are different kinds of quiet. There is the quiet when night falls — and there is the deadly quiet of the void between worlds that seems as if will never end, no matter how far you fall.”

Something in his words caused a shiver in her spine and she knew he’d just revealed something he’d kept locked away within himself. “There is also,” he continued, “the companionable silence that can be found between two who might perhaps consider themselves, if not friends, then more than simple acquaintances.”

His gaze met hers. “That is what you offered me tonight and it is a gift not to be dismissed lightly. I thank you for it.”

Darcy had the sudden urge to curtsey, but she didn’t think it fit the mood. “Good hanging with you, too.”

She headed upstairs, conscious of his eyes following her — and found she didn’t mind it. Yeah, life was definitely weird. 

But she wouldn’t trade it for anything.

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally conceived as a one-shot, but as there is now a second fully drafted story (only needing revision) and three partially drafted pieces, I'm declaring it a series.


End file.
